"I need to verify my class information... um... how should I do this?" I asked nervously. This was my first time actively speaking to someone in this world.

"You don’t need to do anything. Please look here—this magic orb only requires one silver coin to activate. Once activated, simply place your hand on it. The orb will automatically detect your identity and potential. Quite convenient, isn’t it?" The guild clerk’s tone and expression remained professionally robotic.

Hearing this, my inner tension eased considerably.

"Ah, yes, very convenient..." I replied awkwardly. "But... I only have one copper coin. You see..."

"Respected adventurer, we don’t offer discounts," the clerk said, her smile unchanging.

A polite refusal. I knew guild offices rarely discounted services. My fleeting hope vanished instantly.

Her patience and professionalism were impeccable.

Even after I admitted I had no money, she didn’t shoo me away. She kept her hands clasped over her stomach, smiling politely.

I only felt more shameless by the second.

"Then... um... where might I earn money quickly? I need to afford this class verification..."

"Gladly. There’s an inn beside the guild—you must have noticed it." She gestured sideways, tapping the wall. Next door was the very inn where I’d eaten with Kline.

"Yes, I saw it."

"Good. You can take dishwashing or stable-hand jobs there. Pays about fifteen copper coins a day. For an unverified adventurer like yourself, it’s likely the most suitable work." Her tone held no mockery.

"But I’m in a hurry! Isn’t there something higher-paying—"

"One silver coin. Verify him."

A familiar female voice cut me off. A slender hand reached past my shoulder, tossing a silver coin onto the counter.

The clerk swiftly pocketed it. "One moment, please," she said, activating the orb.

I turned. The knight girl who’d challenged me to a duel stood behind me, arms crossed.

"What’re you staring at? Get your class verified!" She jabbed a finger at the glowing orb.

*Why pay for me?*

*Pity, probably...*

I shot her a grateful look. She just scoffed, looking away.

I turned back and pressed my palm against the orb as instructed.

Milky-white light flared from its core, growing blindingly bright.

"Seems like an exceptional class," the clerk murmured. Then she gasped, hand flying to her mouth.

The knight girl behind me did the same.

The orb’s radiance drowned out the guild’s lamps within seconds.

Curious adventurers still lingering nearby swarmed around us.

"An advanced class?!"

"Even advanced classes don’t glow this bright! Look—it’s still intensifying!"

"Holy—! Could it be a *legendary* class?!"

For nearly half a minute, the light built until the orb turned translucent.

"Verification complete," the clerk announced. The orb dimmed abruptly.

Instantly, data flooded my mind:

**Name:** Rogied Diflute

**Race:** Human

**Class:** Hero

**Level:** 1

**Equipment:** None

**Title:** None

**Skills:**

**Discern Truth [Passive]:** View target’s profile after learning their true name.

**Hero’s Might [Passive]:** Deals 2x damage against Demonkin.

**Narcissism [Passive]:** Recovers 10 HP whenever another creature (including same-sex) calls you "handsome" while injured.

*Huh? What’s this?*

*Rogied Diflute... my name here?*

*So this is my character sheet?*

*But—*

*Sure, "Hero" is legit... but why are ALL my skills passive?!*

*Three passives?! Impossible to ignore!*

*Discern Truth seems normal, but the others... ugh!*

*Where do I even FIND Demonkin in this human village?!*

*And fighting them at Level 1?!*

*What’s with "Narcissism"?!*

*"Including same-sex"?! That’s... jarring!*

*AAAAAH!!!*

"You okay?" The knight girl noticed my "I’d rather die" expression. She patted my shoulder excitedly. "Hey! What class *is* it? I’ve never seen an orb glow that bright!"

"Yeah! Tell us!" the crowd echoed.

In this world, only the adventurer’s guild updated character data—and they guarded privacy fiercely. To know my class, I’d have to announce it.

Every eye burned with nosy curiosity.

Their stares reignited my pride. My chest puffed out.

*Time to flex.*

*Even with trash skills, "Hero" sounds epic!*

"**HERO!**" I spun, thumb jabbed at my chest. "**I’m the Hero! The one and only! ...Huh? Why are you all looking at me like that?**"

Pity. Sympathy.

Like I was a lost puppy.

"Ah... n-nothing! Congrats!" The knight girl’s smile was strained. "Heroes haven’t appeared in a thousand years..."

*Why is "Hero" making them uncomfortable?!*

She cleared her throat. "Look... I hate to say this, but honesty matters. The Hero... well... they fight the Demon King, right? Thanks to the last Hero, we’ve had peace for a millennium. We’re truly grateful—"

*Still not getting it!*

"Ahem! The *point*," she blurted, "is **PEACE**! Get it now?"

"No." I shook my head.

She gritted her teeth. "Fine! After the Great War, the Insect Folk retreated underground, the Elf Folk returned to western forests, the Beastfolk to the southern—"

*Why list this?!*

"—and the Demonkin withdrew to the Northern Continent’s frozen wastes! Only humans remain on the Eastern Continent! **Now do you understand?!**"

"Still no." *Continents? My head’s spinning.*

"**IT’S PEACETIME!**" she nearly screamed. "**What do we need a Hero FOR?!**"

*...Oh.*

*Right.*

You can’t just march into the Demon King’s castle yelling, "DIE, DEMON!" when there’s no war.

"But... Heroes are still the strongest class!" I protested.

"True!" She nodded firmly. Then she poked my nose with one finger, hand on her hip. "**BUT!** The Hero class was separated from all others a thousand years ago! Equipment isn’t cross-compatible! Unless a weapon is *explicitly* for Heroes, you can’t equip anything!"

***CRACK.***

My world shattered.

*I get it. Like RPGs—mages can’t wield swords, warriors can’t cast spells...*

*So I can’t even... equip a sword?!*

I stared desperately at her knightly blade. She understood, handing it to me gently.

I gripped it. Swung at air—

***CLANG!***

The sword clattered to the floor.

"Told you," she whispered, covering her mouth. "You can’t use other classes’ weapons... Poor guy." Tears welled in her eyes. "Give it back... I can’t watch..."

"Poor soul..."

"Ah, a Hero... truly a Hero..."

"Heroes are obsolete."

"Heroes are useless." Someone spat the last words.

The crowd glared. "Monster!" someone yelled back.

*Now I get the puppy-dog looks.*

*If I don’t... I’m an idiot.*

*But please—stop looking at me like this!*

*My heart isn’t just crying... it’s bleeding.*

"Let him be. He needs space."

The crowd dispersed quickly.

I stood frozen. Heaven to hell in seconds. Joy and despair crashed over me too fast to brace for impact.

"You’re still a Hero!" The knight girl tried to cheer me up, seeing my slump.

I turned, smiling bleakly. "So what?"

"So..." Her hand flew back to her mouth. Tears spilled. "If you don’t mind... I’ll help you level up! At least your stats’ll look decent..." She sniffled. "I gave you that silver coin out of pity... Now I realize—I’m the real demon. If I hadn’t... you could’ve stayed in your happy little dream..." She suddenly hugged me, wailing. "**IT’S MY FAULT! ALL MY FAULT!!!**"

*Chivalry tenet: Compassion.*

Hers had just maxed out.

After a long moment—

"Sorry. Got carried away." She wiped her tears.

"You've really gone too far... I'm about to get angry..."

"No, my child..."

"Who's your child?!"

"You dare yell at me?!"

"Yell at you? So what?!"

"Wanna fight?!"

"Then fight! Bring it on!!! Who's scared of you?!!!"

In the end, the knight girl thoroughly scolded me.

"Had enough?"

"Had enough."

"Then let's team up."

"Huh? For real?"

"Of course I'm serious! Oh, right—my name's Anjelit Snake. Yours is..."

"Pfft!"

The sudden English name made me snort.

"You brat! Got a problem with my name?!" Anjelit roared, lifting me up with one furious hand.